Students might face 10-15 months jail terms
JAKARTA (JP): Government prosecutors yesterday demanded jail terms ranging between 10 and 15 months for six students who are being tried for defaming President Soeharto.
Suhaimi, who is leading the prosecution team, told the Central Jakarta District Court that the six students intentionally sought to discredit the President when they took part in a demonstration at the House of Representatives (DPR) last December.
"The defendants, who are supposed to be intellectuals, chose not to use polite words in communicating with the high government body," he said in arguing for convictions.
The prosecutors demanded that Gunardi Aswantoro and Wandi Nicodemus Tuturong be given 15 months' imprisonment and sought 10 months jail terms for the other four: Anthony Leroy John Ratag, Dedi Ekabrata, M, Rifki, and Mandri Sri Martiana. Mandri is the only female in the group.
They are among the 21 students who are currently being tried for defamation in connection with the Dec. 14 protest. The other defendants are tried in groups of four and 11 respectively.
The maximum penalty for defaming a head of state is six years' imprisonment.
The prosecutors said the protesters used inappropriate language with the government and the House in communicating their demands through their posters, banners and chants.
Suhaimi said the defendants never denied using the harsh words during the trial, some even suggesting that it was the only way of conveying their message.
He said witnesses presented by the prosecution also affirmed the allegation that strong words were indeed used.
The more than 100 students who turned up at the House were demanding that the People's Consultative Assembly hold an emergency session to bring Soeharto to bear for the series of violent actions used by the government in recent years.
Suhaimi urged the court to disregard the testimony of politicians and government critics that were acting as defense witnesses, calling it pure fabrication.
A number of politicians defended the students' actions on the grounds that freedom of expression was guaranteed by the constitution.
In the trial of the group of four legislator Sabam Sirait, who was testifying for the students, used the opportunity to question the reason for the students' arrests.
Sabam of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) said he will be checking on the reasons why the military had been used to apprehend the students instead of the police.
He also asked the court why his earlier testimony before the same court had been videotaped and shown at the Armed Forces (ABRI) headquarters.
Presiding Judge Soetrisno said the trial was open and that there was no regulation against videotaping the proceedings as long as it did not interfere with the trial. (par)